News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-12-08
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.
Early Use of Candles, Whale Oil
Gas and Petroleum asAgents.

Mr.. Richard J. Monks, Treasurer of
the South BostonS Gaslight Company,
gave the following statistics in recent
lecture before the Beacon Society OF
Boston:
'The use of whale oil originated with
the Norwegians. In 1850 the Dutch
had 200 vessels, employing IA, 600 men,
IN the business. In New England the
whales We're first caught in small boats.
The Indians engaged with avldlty IN
the hunt for whales. In 1858 there
were 600 vessels of 200, 900 tons burden
engaged in the American whale fishery.
The Argand lamp was first used IN
1900. Candles were spoken of first IN a
remote period. Their use really began
IN the early history of Christianity. AS
late as the sixteenth century their use
was limited. In spite of modern meth
DDS the candle is used for certain pur-
poses, and the soft light cannot fail to
please the eye. The honor and merit
OF the first application of coal gas seems
to belong to William Murdoch, of Red
worth, Cornwall. In 1902 he lighted
an extensive manufacturing establish
ment. France also claimed the honor
of It's demonstration, but not satisfactor-
lily. Jan. %, 1907, saw q number of
London streets lighted by gas. The
amount of 600, 900 was raised and the
king was petitioned for the incorpora-
ton of company. Two companies
supply London Mt 70 cents per 1000 GU
bic feet, and their capital is $50, 900, 600.
Coal gas was first used in Baltimore in
1916, and for some time its progress
was slow and unsatisfactory. Now
there are over 1000 works il the Uni
ted States, furnishing employment to
over 20, GOO men, portion being for the
manufacture of water gas.
''In 170S a Frenchman discovered the
process by which water gas was made.
In 1875 Prof. Lowe established the first
works in theSUnited States. The bust
ness has increased enormously here, but
not always, because hard coal and nap
tina are so expensive. Natural gas has
been known and extensively used in
Asia and China for long time. His
tory tells us of well in France at the
time of Julius Caesar. The first in the
United States was in Charleston. the
Taylor House in Fredonia, n. Y, was
Illuminated in 1924 in honor of Layfa-
cite. A few years ago gas well was
tiIoOofSiOA LII OSGtin SP1dJ, ACcI uilIo
city, (Boston.) The nature and eff
cheney of natural gas is but partially
understood.
petroleum was known to mankind
from the dawn of history. It was spo-
ken of in Sweden in 1850. In western
Pennsylvania twas found on the ground
and used as medicine many years be-
fore wells were bored. In 1858 a we'll
Is feet deep yielded more than 1000
barrels per day. Then a reckless spirit
of speculation arose. 1t enriched few
while it ruined thousands. The stan
dard drill is five and one-half inches,
the flow being as great from a small as a
large hole. In 1880 the production
amounted to o. 900, 900 barrels, and the
stock on hand June l, 1880, was valued
at $11, 100000. Russia has valuable de-
posts at Baku, long known, but just
put to commercial use. The value of
exports thence in 1888 was SIS, 000,0 00
In Russia they are ahead of America in
being able to use the residuum of pc
troleum. So abundant is the oil in Ba-
ku that work can be carried on by it's
flame in the night, and the oozing of
the oil from the ground prevents dust"